Minister defends emergency payments to Ukrainian refugees for car repairs
Dara Calleary said the scheme 'covers a huge range of things, and it is open to every person in the state to apply for it. But it is subject to income tests, and it is not widespread'. File photo: Johnny Bambury
The minister for social protection has defended emergency payments to some Ukrainian refugees for car repairs.
Dara Calleary said such additional needs payments are available to anyone in the state and any applications for such payments are subject to rigorous scrutiny and that their use for car repairs is not widespread.
He was responding to claims from Independent Ireland TD Ken O’Flynn who told the Dáil last week that some Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection from Ukraine had received sums ranging from €400 to €7,000 for vehicle repairs, including the purchase of new tyres. He did not say how widespread the issue is.
Mr Calleary said: “Everybody applies for an additional needs payment for a specific reason. It is subject to tests. We do quite a huge amount of them around the country. It's not confined to any particular person. Every person is eligible to apply for an additional means payment, for what is an emergency payment.
Mr O’Flynn grilled Tánaiste Simon Harris on the issue last week and questioned the use of public funds for vehicle repairs, saying he was unaware of any other government in the world “that is repairing people’s cars”.
But Mr Calleary said the additional needs payment scheme is open to anyone in the state, that payments are approved subject to certain criteria, and that any approved payments are made for specific circumstances and in specific situations.
“That includes car repairs. And there might be a reason for the car repair. It may be family reasons. It may be work reasons. Everybody has a reason,” he said.
“Many of the applications are turned down, but it is in a case where somebody has a very valid reason, where they don't have the funding at that particular point. It’s assessed very, very properly and, most importantly, very rigorously.”
He said he is satisfied that the checks and balances are being applied rigorously to minimise the risk of abuse.
“Many of the applications are turned down, but it isn’t the case where somebody has a very valid reason, and where they don't have the funding at that particular point.”
Mr O’Flynn said he wants clarity on the matter.
“I want an evidenced-based debate on the use of social protection funding,” he said.
“I want at the very least to ensure that there is parity of treatment, and that we are not being taken for absolute mugs by a department that has been generous to a fault with taxpayers’ money, as the farcical spend of €1m per month on accommodation for pets of Ukrainian Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection in 2022 clearly demonstrated.”
